Improvement in refrigerators



8. M. FORT.

Refrigerators.

vnnsggs:

M uzalmw Pate-Med August 12,1873.

UNITED STATES PATENT DFFIGE.

SIMON M. FORT, or SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN REFRIGERATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 141,781, dated August 12, 1873; application filed June 28, 1873.

' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIMON M. Four, of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and in the State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Refrigerators; and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making a part of this specification, in which Figure l is a perspective view of my device with the doors removed so as to show its interior arrangement. Fig. 2 is a vertical section upon a line parallel to its front side; and Fig. 3 is a like view upon line a: :0 of Fig. 2.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.

As ordinarily constructed, no provision is made in refrigerators for the retention of the water produced by the melting of ice, which water, having a very low temperature, is permitted to escape directly into an exterior vessel or into a waste-water pipe, by which means a material loss in the cooling properties of the ice is caused.

To remedy this defect is the main object of my invention, which consists principally in the employment of a waste-water reservoir within the refrigerator, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter specified. It consists, further, in the employment of removable sections arranged in the form of drawers, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter shown. It consists, finally, in the device as a whole, when its several parts are con: structed and combined to operate substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

In the annexed drawing, A and A represent the sides, B the bottom, 0 the-top, D the rear, and E the front sides, of a refrigerator having, preferably, a rectangular form. At or near the transverse center of the refrigerator are placed two sets of slides or ways, F, which equally divide the space vertically, and have such horizontal separation as may be requisite. Resting upon the slides F, and loosely filling the space between the same and the slides next above or the upper side of the refrigerator, are drawers G and G, each of which is made open at its upper side, and provided with a projecting front, 9, which extends over the contiguous portions of the front E, and forms a close joint between thelatter and said drawer. Within the rear portion of each of the drawers G and G, is provided a pipe, H, which extends vertically upward through the bottom to a point near the upper side of said drawer, and, being open at each end,furnishes a means whereby the surplus fluid contents of said drawer may pass away whenever it reaches the level of the upper end of said pipe, the overflow from the upper drawer passing into the lower drawer, while from the latter the overflow passes into a space, I, at the bottom of the refrigerator, and from thence escapes through a waste-pipe, K. Within the refrigerator and at its vertical center is secured a shelf, L, which'extends from one side slightly downward to a point beneath the transverse center of the upper drawer, and from thence at a corresponding angle upward to or slightly beyond the outer side of the same, the object of said shelf being to furnish a support for the ice employed. A number of openings, 1, are provided within the lowest portion of the shelf L, so as to permit the water resulting from the melting of the ice to pass into the lower drawer. A shield-plate, M, placed between the upper drawer and the ice-compartment, prevents such contact between the ice and said drawer as to impede the movements of the latter.

The device is now complete, with exception of doors forinclosing the front openings, and possesses the following-named advantages: The lower compartment or drawer receives and contains a large body of water which possesses a temperature but slightly above the freezing-point, and aids materially in securing and maintaining a low temperature within the refrigerator. By providing each drawer with a faucet, G, they may be used for containing water for drinking purposes; or, if desired, the upper of said drawers may be employed for the reception of any articles which it may be desired to cool. By giving to the compartments G and G the form of drawers, they can be readily removed from the refrigerator whenever it becomes necessary to cleanse them, or for the purpose of insertin g within or removing their contents. Al-

though the removable compartments are, preferably, constructed and arranged to contain water, they may be employed for any other purpose, and may occupy any desired position within the refrigerator. If desired, the openings through which the drawer-compartments are placed within the refrigerator may be provided with doors,'so as to enable them to be inclosed when said compartments are withdrawn.

Having thus fully set forth the nature and merits of my invention, what I claim as new, is-

1. The drawers G and G, constructed and arranged as described, and adapted for the the uses set forth.

2. The lower drawer G, constructed as described, and provided with outlet-pipe H and faucet g, and so placed in the refrigerator as to receive and contain the cold water from the melting ice, in the manner set forth.

3. The refrigerator A B G D, provided with ice-box, cooling-closet and drawers, chambers or water boxes G and G, substantially as set forth.

4. In a refrigerator, one or more drawers or compartments, G and G, each provided with an overflow-pipe and faucet, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 26th day of June, 1873.

SIMON M. FORT. Witnesses:

DANIEL S. DELANO, SAMUEL A. GREENE. 

